Fluency Is More Important Than Accuracy When You’re Learning a Second Language free essay sample

Fluency is more important than accuracy when you’re learning a second language. True or False? Learning second language brings many difficulties for learners and the biggest dilemma for teachers is to decide whether to take a fluency-oriented or accuracy-oriented approach. Both have advantages and disadvantages, so which one is the most efficient? Can we really separate learning process into accuracy and fluency or is it something that constantly overlaps? The modern view of accuracy-oriented approach is rather negative. â€Å"This view is called the accuracy-oriented approach. Practices that focus on repetition of newly introduced forms or grammatical structures are thought to help the learning. Although once supported by many linguists, nowadays it is seen as rather obsolete. † Nakagawa, (2002). Teaching Speaking: From Accuracy vs. Fluency to Accuracy plus Fluency. Putting too much effort on learning grammatical rules may impact on natural acquisition of speech. The brain may develop an excessive monitor in the mind that would interrupt the learning process. We will write a custom essay sample on Fluency Is More Important Than Accuracy When You’re Learning a Second Language or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Stern (1991) shares Nakagawa’s opinion and also suggests that from learners perspective this approach may be demotivating and boring. On the other hand without accuracy the language, no matter how fluent, will never be correct without learning some grammar rules. To avoid overgeneralization (i. e. child and childs, not children) among other things, learning grammar is essential. Fluency-oriented approach for both the teacher and a learner is much more difficult because it is based on instinct and a lot of practice in reading, listening and speaking is needed. Communication in a second language can be successful even without proper grammar or sophisticated words. Meaning can be conveyed using key words, limited vocabulary. Fluency has big impact on the flow of the conversation. Sarah Short (2009) wrote that speaker who is not prepared to answer in a sophisticated way, and still tries to, will have a conversation that will die quickly. On the other hand if the same speaker answers using simple key words, it gives the field for further questions and for the conversation to carry on. Many linguists, based on my research, agree that both approaches should be balanced and used together. Learning grammatical rules as well as trying to speak fluently without too many interruptions for corrections sounds like the best way to take. Nakagawa (2002) suggests adding accuracy elements into communicative activity as well as adding communicative practice to repetitive activities. I have found many activities on teacher support websites that combine both fluency and accuracy and, what’s important, they have very positive feedback from internet users. Looking at my past, where I learned both English and Japanese languages by accuracy-oriented approach that only later transformed into fluency, and also as a teacher of those both languages as a foreign language – I try to combine grammar and speeches. Things like writing a grammatically correct diary and giving a speech about it is my example of combining fluency and accuracy in learning second language. I have positive results in most of my students, with some exceptions. As a result of my research, I cannot agree with the topic that fluency is more important than accuracy. Accuracy without fluency would make conversations end very quickly and has a potential of interrupting learning process. Fluency without accuracy will enable people to hold a conversation but this alone will not bring development to language skills.

The Circuit written by Francisco Jimenez

The Circuit written by Francisco Jimenez Free Online Research Papers Francisco Jimenez shows a lot of sympathy, apathy, empathy, and advocacy in The Circuit. This makes the reader want to keep reading the story. It is easy to spot in his book. You just have to know what those terms mean. There are many times in The Circuit where these terms are not only written, but also felt by the reader. That is part of what makes a book good. The meaning of sympathy is to feel sorry or pity for another person. When someone breaks a leg, you have sympathy for him or her. â€Å"’Don’t be stupid†¦ your family,† [dad] stammered. Gabriel held back. His face flushed with rage† (The Circuit, 92). This is a sign of sympathy because Francisco’s dad feels pity for Gabriel’s family, so he stops Gabriel from going into a fight. Gabriel gets the only money for his family, but if he gets fired then his family doesn’t get any money. Apathy is the exact opposite of sympathy. It means to lack feeling for someone else. To see someone hurt and just walk by is apathy. â€Å"†Well this isn’t your country, idiot! You either do what I say or I’ll have you fired!† â€Å"Don’t do that, please,† Gabriel said. â€Å"I have family to feed.† â€Å"I don’t give a damn about your family!† the contratista replied, grabbing Gabriel by the shirt collar and pushing him† (91). This is apathy because the contratista doesn’t care about Gabriel’s family. He just wants Gabriel to work for him. To have empathy you have to know how another person feels because you share the same experience. For example if someone is freaked out about going on a roller coaster, and you already went on the roller coaster, but you felt the same way then you have empathy. â€Å"After my brothers and I had put away our few things, I sat on the floor and looked at my pennies. I wanted to make sure they were not rubbing against each other in the box before placing them underneath the mattress. When I looked up, Rorra was standing next to me. â€Å"Can I have one?† â€Å"One what?† I asked. â€Å"A penny,† she answered. â€Å"Not one of these,† I said. â€Å"These are special.† She maid a face then walked away, stomping her tiny feet† (104). I have empathy for Francisco, because my little brother asks me for toys and gadgets all of the time. I usually say that he can’t have them, and he usually has a fit about it. Advocacy is very different from empathy. Advocacy means to stand up for someone. If I stood up for my little brother while he was being picked on, then that would be advocacy. â€Å"†If Manuelito doesn’t play then I won’t either,† I said† (93). That is advocacy because Francisco is standing up for Manuelito in a game called kick the can. I proved that there are advocacy, empathy, sympathy, and apathy in The Circuit. Francisco learned a lot in this story, and we learned a lot about his story. I think that he would be proud of us to discovery all of these details of his story. He probably didn’t see it like this when he was my age. Research Papers on The Circuit written by Francisco JimenezThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsThe Fifth HorsemanBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XTrailblazing by Eric AndersonHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayBringing Democracy to AfricaThe Hockey GameMind TravelComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoStandardized Testing

Balance of Payments and Exchange Rates Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Balance of Payments and Exchange Rates - Essay Example The balance of payments comprises all of the economic transactions between members of one country and members of all other countries. This includes any trade of goods and services, investments, payments and loans. The balance of payments is made up of several accounts. The current account includes goods trade, services trade, income and transfers of ownership. The capital account includes transfers of assets and acquisitions. The financial account is made up of direct investments into the country, portfolio investments, and various investments. In order to balance out the current and financial accounts should offset each other (Moffett, Stonehill, Eiteman 2006, 73). When there is more money coming in than going out balance of payments will be in surplus, and when more money has gone out than come in there will be a deficit. This is what can affect exchange rates as we will see below. Exchange rates are the value of one country's currency in relation to that of another country's currency. In other words how much is your unit of currency worth in another country's unit of currency. Exchange rates reflect the supply and demand for a country's currency in the world market. However some governments, depending on their monetary policy, may seek to ensure their currency has a certain value in the market. A country with a fixed exchange rate policy maintains a set level for their currency by using reserves to either buy up excess currency so flood the market with currency when there is a demand. Floating exchange rate countries let the market determine their exchange rate; this is normally done by a country with a strong economy. A country operating on a managed float uses factors such as interest rates in order to influence the price or their currency in the market and keep it around a certain level. A government's monetary policy can influence the effect that balance of payments has on exchange rates. Linkages There are significant links between a country's balance of payments and exchange rates. As Layton, Robinson and Tucker (2005, 56) point out "Each transaction recorded in the balance of payments requires an exchange of one country's currency for that of another." The level of a country's exchange rate has an impact on the balance of payments and vice versa. Surplus in the balance of payments usually means that the demand for a country's currency is greater than supply; on the other hand a deficit in balance of payments indicates there is too much of a country's currency in the market. How significant an impact depends on a country's exchange rate regime (Moffett, Stonehill, Eiteman 2006,

Criminalistics 40656300 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Criminalistics 40656300 - Essay Example Evidence is the most important feature in solving a crime. Then the evidence should be matched with the crime process. A sound knowledge, investigative ability and facilitating materials are required to solve crime. Internet helps in several ways to solve crimes. The purpose of this research is to explore the internet to identify the uses of internet to solve crimes. The use of internet to solve crimes Crime mapping Crime mapping is the illustration of geographical patterns of crimes. It plots the distribution of different types of crimes and with the time periods. It uses high technologies like GIS and information from census. By looking at the crime pattern plotted in a particular area and the surroundings such as banks, schools, shops etc. underline cause can be determined. Even protective steps can be taken to minimize the potential harm to other people. Crimemapping.com, www.mapnimbus.com are examples of such web sites. A typical map uses color icons to indicate distribution of crimes as well as the type of the crime (i.e. Homicide, gun fire, stabbing, etc.) These maps are frequently used by the law enforcement agencies as well as the criminal investigators. Past crimes/Crime libraries Internet provides complete details of solved crimes. In this sources method of crime, evidence, forensic identifications, special tests, court details and verdict are extensively discussed. A large number of such crimes can be found in the internet. When a similar crime is occurs the facts in the solve crimes can be taken in to consideration. This is greatly help to identify the criminal behavior and may be helpful to protect others from the unidentified criminals. Sometimes evidence are inadequate to convict a criminal although everyone knows he is the criminal, in such a situations special tests or court decisions of early solved crimes can be used to fill the gap. Crimelibrary.com is another example which provides comprehensive details on large number of notable crimes an d court decisions. Wilipedea.org also contain complete details on many notable crimes such as â€Å"parker-hulme† murder and Sarah Marie Johnson  an  Idaho  woman who was sentenced for killing both parents (Wikipedia, 2011) Forensic technology Like any other technology, forensic technology is also upgraded frequently with much reliable detection methods. However not all the criminal investigators know all the methods use in forensic science. The internet is a source of huge amount of such methods. These sites not only provide the details of new forensic technology but also open a path to contact the relevant experts, or institutes probably online and even facilitate application. As an example, the ForensicTechnology.com provides technological details on the comprehensive bullet and cartridge case analysis. They introduce MATCHPOINT+ an advance ballistic technology for bullet matching and provide access to service and training online (Forensic Technology, 2011) Several f ingerprint comparison software packages currently available in the web. Moreover the investigators get a chance to know about the locally unavailable crime detection technologies sometimes overseas. Fingerprint comparison The web offers access to several fingerprint data bases of world wide criminals as well as some non criminals. The FBI has introduced the Integrated Automated  Fingerprint

Thirty Years War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Thirty Years War - Essay Example The Thirty Year War marks the last of its kind-a religious conflict fought under political guises. Unlike other religious wars, however, the Thirty Years War is known much more for its destruction, destitution, and lingering consequences: All this was effected by religion. Religion alone could have rendered possible all that was accomplished, but it was far from being the SOLE motive of the war. Had not private advantages and state interests been closely connected with it, vain and powerless would have been the arguments of theologians; and the cry of the people would never have met with princes so willing to espouse their cause, nor the new doctrines have found such numerous, brave, and persevering champions. The Reformation is undoubtedly owing in a great measure to the invincible power of truth, or of opinions which were held as such. The abuses in the old church, the absurdity of many of its dogmas, the extravagance of its requisitions, necessarily revolted the tempers of men, already half-won with the promise of a better light, and favourably disposed them towards the new doctrines. The charm of independence, the rich plunder of monastic institutions, made the Reformation attractive in the eyes of princes, and t ended not a little to strengthen their inward convictions (Schiller, 2006, p. 2). UndoubtedUndoubtedly, Europe had suffered through centuries of warfare before the Thirty Years War started in 1618; and the history of warfare, sadly, did not end after the Thirty Years War ended in 1648. In fact, shortly after the war in 1945, some historians tried to revise the traditional image of the Thirty Years War by: ...suggesting that the numerous complaints about the destruction of towns, the cruelty of soldiers and in general about unmitigated plunder, pillage and atrocities should not really be taken seriously. Rather, it is argued, they are so many cases of special pleading by farmers and citizens in order to get taxes and other impositions reduced (Asch, 2000, p. 291). Essentially, historians have attempted to scale down the level of destruction and destitution caused by the Thirty Years War by claiming that these farmers and citizens raised complaints and exaggerated their claims regarding the war in an effort to receive tax waivers and reductions (Asch, 2000). However, many historians have dismissed these claims. This dismissal may be partially due to a treatise released during the height of the Thirty Years War written by Franciscus Bonbra in which he describes some of the atrocities committed by mercenary soldiers: "They would rape any woman who seemed halfway attractive, plunder the houses, destroy the crops and beat and torture the peasants to extort money. In the end they would set the entire village on fire" (Asch, 2000, p. 292). Bonbra's treatise helped to lend credibility to the argument that the claims of destruction were valid; since Bonbra's treatise was written as a theoretical treatise rather than a petition seeking support or tax wa ivers (Asch, 2000). In truth, the Thirty Years War left a wave of destruction unmatched until the 20th Century's World Wars. The destruction, whether caused through poor militaristic strategies, army composition, or overall famine and disease, led to several changes

Presentation of War in Literature | The Man He Killed and Dulce Er Decorum Est

Presentation of War in Literature | The Man He Killed and Dulce Er Decorum Est The Man He Killed by Thomas Hardy (1840-1928), and Dulce et Decorum est, by Wilfred Owen explore the theme of war, they both take similar views on life during and after the treacherous times that war created, and its lasting effects. However, the poets choose to display these feelings through their poetry in different ways. In Hardys poem, the poet adopts the person of a war veteran in the Boer war. The poem is about his actions in this war and their lasting effects. In Dulce Decorum est, the poet prefers to take a step back, he is not as directly involved as Hardy, yet he continues to get his message across very effectively by describing the horrors he witnessed. Though the poems were written in different wars the messages they portray are very similar as the poems do not divulge into the actual wars they were based on, but, instead on the inner dynamics of war on a whole. Wilfred Owen is known as being one of the most famous poets of the First World War. He wrote Dulce et Decorum Est while he served as a soldier in the appalling conditions of the trenches. Dulce et Decorum Est gives a distressing account of the futility of war, generated from his own personal experiences. It was composed during the summer of 1917 when Owen wrote a series of poems about the war. The preface to this collection was My subject is War, and the pity of War. This shows Owens view to war and his purpose for writing the poems was to show the disgusting horror that war created to an ill-informed and uneducated audience back at home in England. Though the war made Owen famous it ultimately led to his demise a year later. The Man He Killed by Thomas Hardy was written to express Hardys beliefs. Hardy felt that war was inhuman, he despised the heartlessness atrocity between men. The poem is specifically addressed to the Boer War, which Hardy was passionately against. The poem may seem very simple at first but in fact it is a very skilful one, it is hampered with irony and Hardy makes interesting use of colloquialism (writing in a conversational style). Hardy titled the poem The Man He Killed, in the third person. However, the poem is narrated in the first person. The person in the poem, the he in the title and I in the poem, is clearly a soldier of the Boer war attempting to explain and perhaps clarify the reasons to kill another man in battle. The short lines, simple rhyme scheme, and colloquial language make the poem almost like pleasant nursery rhyme as it is so simple and easy to read, however, this is an ironic contrast to its less than pleasant subject. In Dulce et decorum est, Owen is showing how the press and public at home were comforting themselves in the belief that all the young men dying in the war were dying noble, heroic deaths. Owen on the other hand, shows how the reality was quite different; the young men were dieing horrible and obscene deaths in the trenches. I believe that Owen wanted to open the eyes of the reader to what was really going on in the war to illustrate how vile and inhumane war really is. The first line sets the tone for the rest of the poem Bent double, like old beggars under sacks. He uses the simile like old beggars to show how the average soldier was not being treated nobly or with respect but like someone the lowest class (a beggar). It also shows how the young, vibrant boys who signed up had the life taken out of them by the war and were becoming old well before it was their time. This put the reader in the right frame of mind about the war, it casts out any false pretences they had about the war and opens their eyes to the inhumane truth war created. He uses bitter imagery like coughing like hags and But limped on, blood shod. All went lame; all blind; Drunk with fatigue to show how these apparent youthful and strong men had been broken by the war and become prematurely old and weakened. Owen takes pity on these tired and weary soldiers as he describes them in the most unglamorous, inglorious manner. Similarly, in The Man He Killed, Hardy also banishes a common misconception about war, that killing a man was a dignified and noble thing to do. In the first stanza Hardy establishes that things could have been different in more favourable circumstances between him and his foe: Had he and I but met they could have had a drink together By some old ancient inn. However, in the second stanza, Hardy shows the true circumstances in which they did meet, which is in stark contrast to the first stanza. Ranged as infantry Hardy once again reemphasises the point that the men are not natural foes but have been ranged, which means that they have been set against each other by someone elses decision. The phrase as he at me indicates they are both in similar situations. This tells the reader how your foe may have been your friend in indifferent circumstances but because someone higher has said they are your enemy means you must kill them, in essence you must banish your own moral and personal view s on the person you are about to kill because someone has told you, falsely, it is your duty to kill them. Like Owen, Hardy takes pity on the soldiers, as it is not their fault, as he shows it is kill or be killed in war. In The Man He Killed, Hardy also exhibits the dark side of man, especially his capacity for violence and cruelty. He does this in the last stanza where concludes with a repetition of the contrast between his treatment of the man he killed and how he might have shared hospitality with him in other circumstances, Youd treat, if met where any bar is, or even been ready to extend charity to him Or help to half a crown. Before this he says that war is quaint and curious, as if to say war was is bit of a harmless puzzle. This may give the impression that war is undamaging and acceptable, but as the reader now knows from the events described in the poem and the knowledge he already has of war, make it clear that Hardy applies this phrase quaint and curious with great irony, knowing full well that this statement is far from the truth. It forces the reader, through Hardys irony, to divulge deeper into the ethics behind war and the brutality and inhumanity it creates, and to consider how human s are often victims of sheer circumstance and fate, which has lead them to take another persons life. Hardy has very cleverly through colloquial language and simple statements, made the reader think as though they have made a judgment of whether war is right or wrong on their own, when really Hardy has inconspicuously made that decision for them. Furthermore, Owen also shows how war has changed man into a killing beast. He concentrates on the use of mustard gas, a new devastating weapon used in the First World war. If inhaled without the protection of a mask, the gas quickly burns away the lining of the respiratory system. Owen shows this as he compares the soldier who has breathed in the toxic fumes with a man consumed in fire or lime. When you have breathed in the fumes, it is of often compared with drowning, as mustard gas effectively drowns people in the blood from their own lung tissues. Owen then skilfully uses a metaphor to tie into the drowning theme as he says As under a green sea, I saw him drowning. This was because Mustard gas had a green colour, he calls it a sea to show how it was impossible to get away from. Owen continues this aquatic theme as he views this floundring man as if through an underwater mask, Dim through the misty panes. This gives the impression that Owen was unable to fully access the situation through his gas mask, there is also a helplessness felt by Owen as there is nothing he can do, which adds to the surreal and nightmarish atmosphere of the poem, in all my dreams, before my helpless sight. This dream then becomes a harsh reality as the guttering, choking soldier plunges at the helpless speaker, seeking help, in an effort to escape his inevitable death, Owen uses triple emphasis to engrave this astringent image in the readers head. Owen can do nothing for the man; there is still a feeling of responsibility and guilt. This vivid imagery creates a bleak image in the readers mind, Owen is trying to make them question whether the suffering and torture created by war is really worth it. His despair at war and the loss of morals it results in are shown in phrase sores on innocent tongues, as Owen realizes that this soldier, though he is fighting in a war, is innocent and there was no reason for him to die in this way. Owen then uses alliteration to further emphasize the inh umanities man does to man by describing the soldiers slow death, he repeats initial consonant sounds in closely related words wagon, watch, white, writhing. Owen then continues to use bitter imagery combined with similes such as, Like a devils sick of sin to describe the soldiers dying face. This exceptionally dramatic imagery creates a lasting and distressing impression on the reader, as Owen reveals the true horrors that go on during times of war. In The Man He Killed, Hardy illustrates that the reason for killing a man because they are your foe is not good enough. This is shown in the third stanza. The colloquial style Hardy uses enables him to repeat the word because, when he is trying to justify the reason for killing the man, implying hesitation, and therefore doubt as he doesnt know why he killed him. He uses repetition of my foe and the of course this also shows that there is an element of doubt as the speaker tries to convince himself of his justification for the killing. Hardy has already made it clear that the men fighting each other because of an artificial hostility created by others. He adds at the end of the stanza Thats clear enough which is obviously ironic, as the reason for killing is far from clear to the reader because of the reasons above. The last word of the stanza although ultimately destroys the whole entire believability of the reason he has just given. I believe the main point of this poem is to show that there is never a good enough reason to kill another man. Hardy shows this through illustrating how these men would have been friends if they had met under different circumstances yet because someone has said they were there enemy this was a good enough reason to take the other persons life, thus showing how war is a pointless and frivolous act. On the other hand, in Dulce et Decorum est, Owen in not against the reasons why soldiers are killing each other but the fact that these young, innocent and possibly naive men were signing up based on the belief that it is sweet and fitting to die for your country (which is Dulce et decorum est the title of the poem in Latin). At the end of the last stanza, Owen sums up the poem. Owen speaks directly to reader calling the reader my friend, this draws the reader into the poem. He says you would not tell with such high zest, to say directly to the reader that if they had witnessed the horror that he had witnessed then the readers attitude towards the war would change. Therefore, the reader would not repeat patriotic slogans to make people sign up, To children ardent for some desperate glory. The title of the poem Dulce et decorum est is used with a certain sense of irony as the poem is all about how it is not sweet and fitting to die for your country. However, Owen abandons this irony a nd just says The old Lie, showing how more soldiers will die in the circumstances of the fallen soldier in this poem, if the reader continues to spread that lie to young men who have been blinded by this sense of patriotic duty to their country. The final line brings about the full chilling effect of the poem Pro patria mori: to die for ones country. Owen shows how people are signing up to the war on lies like Dulce et decorum est, however, this is far from the truth as nobody deserves to suffer the fate of the fallen soldier in the poem for their country. Within Dulce et Decorum Est the poet utilises a variety of powerful poetic devices in order to depict death in war as a brutal and horrifying experience. It is through the use of this simile that the poet arouses the sympathy of the responder as they witness the grotesque nature of such a death. In Dulce et Decorum est Owen masterfully uses a variety of potent poetic devices to depict the horrifying nature of death in a war to stimulate a response from the reader. He uses metaphors and similes to provoke sympathy for the people who were dying in the war, as the reader witnesses the grotesque death of the soldier who died in the poem. By doing this Owen portrays his message in a very bold and tasteful way. In The Man He Killed Hardy uses a colloquial style of writing combined with an ABAB rhyme scheme, this makes the poem very easy to read and long lasting. Hardy uses slang to get the reader involved in the poem, this allows Hardy to make a strong point in highlighting the irony behind how war can turn friend into foe simply by association and sway the reader against war. Both poems are against war and the reasons and ethics behind them. Though Hardy uses a more direct approach to get his point across, both poems successfully complete the objective that the poets had for them , which was to open the readers eyes to the true reality of war.

Benjamin Franklin Essay examples -- American History, The American Dre

If ever a story embodied what has come to be known as the American Dream, it is the life story of Benjamin Franklin. Franklin could be considered a passionate and energetic man who motivated himself by self-determination and a strong work ethic to achieve self-improvement. Beyond his sometimes-lofty personal aspirations to attain self-improvement, Franklin’s deep conviction inspired him to help others live well. He demonstrated this conviction in his reasons for writing, his willingness to portray his mistakes as well as his successes as a means of instruction, his recounting of the assistance he gave to others, and his desire to create useful solutions. Franklin successfully used his story to depict this self-improvement. Consequently, Franklin’s trek from a meager beginning and lack of education to a wealthy man of immense stature and influence punctuates his emphasis on hard work and determination. Franklin’s insatiable thirst for knowledge and his relentless pursuit of bettering himself were central to his character. Every success and achievement only emboldens him to accomplish more. He states in regards to his writing ability, â€Å"I had been lucky enough to improve the method or the language, and this encouraged me to think I might possibly in time come to be a tolerable English writer, of which I was extremely ambitious.† (Franklin, p.15) Indeed, later in his life, Franklin acknowledged many of the opportunities he had were afforded him because of his ability to write. (Franklin, p. 61) Franklin's expressed intent at the onset of his book is to write his personal anecdotes for his son. He mentions that he began in poverty and obscurity and rose to a place of reputation. He hoped ... ...on the assistance of God in his search for perfection. However, it should be noted that the nature of man prohibits perfection and any true happiness. Only through the shed blood of Jesus Christ and a changed nature can one embark on a life of true contentment and happiness. Upon later reflection, Franklin realized that he never arrived at the perfection he was striving for, but he was better and happier than if he had not attempted it. (Franklin, p.84) Hence, the reason for publishing his scheme, so that others may derive the same benefit he had. It can be concluded that Benjamin Franklin's life had a great affect not only on his generation, but on many generations that would follow. His intellectual curiosity, ingenuity, and desire to do good propelled him into a life long pursuit of improving himself and serving as a model for others to benefit from.

Common Themes in Orwell, Lessing, Nehru and Chamberlain’s Texts Essay

The texts by Orwell, Lessing, Nehru and Chamberlain each present clear arguments about colonialism, arguments that are delivered powerfully by the various techniques employed by each author. Taken collectively, the texts show that colonialism causes poverty and backwardness in the colonized country or countries, and that it brings about various pressures on the colonizer. In all these texts, the era of colonialism is depicted as a period wherein it is the colonizer that is the subject, acting on the colonized – an object that resists understanding and has a mind of its own. Shooting an Elephant† by George Orwell. The argument put forward in this short story is clear. In the beginning of the story, he already knows that â€Å"imperialism was an evil thing. † In the course of the story, however, this realization becomes more precise: â€Å"[W]hen the white man turns tyrant it is his own freedom that he destroys†¦ For it is the condition of his rule that he shall spend his life in trying to impress the ‘natives,’ and so in every crisis he has got to do what the ‘natives’ expect of him. This argument is delivered quite consistently, culminating in Orwell’s act of actually shooting the elephant. The argument is delivered powerfully because the story is about an actual situation in which the argument is demonstrated in the concrete. â€Å"No Witchcraft for Sale† by Doris Lessing. The argument made by Lessing in this story is also clear. In the first parts, this argument was made: â€Å"No one can live in Africa†¦ ithout learning very soon that there is an ancient wisdom of leaf and soil and season – and, too, perhaps the most important of all, of the darker tracts of the human mind – which is the black man’s heritage. † In a succeeding paragraph, this argument was made: â€Å"[W]hile all of them knew t hat in the bush of Africa are waiting valuable drugs locked in bark, in simple-looking leaves, in roots, it was always impossible to ever get the truth about them from the natives themselves. The argument is made consistently. While Gideon did give some plant to the scientist, it is revealed in the end that â€Å"the truth† about the healing leaves was not communicated. The argument is delivered powerfully because we are shown a clear example of healing, and then we are shown a story of a Western scientist who failed to understand this healing. â€Å"The Noble Mansion of Free India† by Jawaharlal Nehru. The argument made in this speech is clear, consistently asserted throughout the speech. Nehru draws a portrait of a country that has suffered for such a long time, a country that has succeeded and got an opportunity to move out of that suffering, and a country that is eager to succeed in moving out of that suffering. He declares: â€Å"We rejoice in that freedom, even though clouds surround us, and many of our people are sorrow-stricken and difficult problems encompass us. But freedom brings responsibilities and burdens and we have to face them in the spirit of a free and disciplined people. † The argument is delivered powerfully because the speech is quite consistent on the points it makes. I Believe in a British Empire† by Joseph Chamberlain. The argument made in this speech is also clear, supported by minor arguments made by the author. Chamberlain argues his case by eliminating other options, choosing what best suits the interest of â€Å"a British Empire† he believes in: â€Å"I believe in a British Empire, in an Empire which, though it should be its first duty to cultivate friendship with all the nations of the world, should yet, even if alone, be self-sustaining and self-sufficient, able to maintain itself against the competition of all its rivals. And I do not believe in in a Little England which shall be separated from all those to whom it would in the natural course look for support and affection, a little England which would then be dependent absolutely on the mercy of those who envy its present prosperity†¦ † The argument is delivered powerfully because the speech consistently argued from the interest of the British Empire at that time. Common Theme or Sentiment About Colonialism. The works show a common theme or sentiment about colonialism. One gets the sense, specially from Orwell and Chamberlain, that colonialism imposes certain demands on the colonizers – Orwell spells out that from the colonized, Chamberlain, that from the competitors as well. It is clear from all the works that the colonizer always thinks in terms of its own interests, while the colonized is either something foreign that resists understanding, or is eager to achieve its own independence from the colonizer. Colonialism is shown to be a period wherein it is the colonizer that acts and it is the colonized that is the receiver of that action. In all the works, we are exposed to the backwardness and poverty in which the colonized live. We are given the impression that colonialism dehumanizes both the colonized and the colonizer. These dynamics of colonialism, especially as it relates to literature, is clearly discussed in Edward W. Said’s important work, Orientalism. Commentary. I think that the themes or sentiments shared by the authors, except Chamberlain perhaps, point to arguments that are on the whole true about colonialism. There are particular features of each text that are worth highlighting: I think that Orwell, while critical of colonialism, reinforces the notion of â€Å"White man’s burden† — that the colonizer has a very important mission for the improvement of the colonized. Lessing shows how the colonizer, acting from an understanding different from that of the colonized, becomes a disrespectful, predatory presence in the life of the colonized. Nehru is too nice towards the colonize in his speech, enumerating the social effects of colonialism yet refusing to blame these on the colonizer. Chamberlain acts out from the particular interests and perspective of the colonizer. In making this paper, I realized how important it is to view things from the perspectives of various texts – more significantly, how important it is to have a general understanding (of colonialism, in this case) that locates the particular perspectives. From such a general understanding, one can make sense of the various perspectives, as well as get a general idea of how colonialism was actually experienced by those who lived through it. I appreciated the guide question, having brought out the common theme and sentiment in these texts.

Free Essays on The Pigman

The Pigman Theme Essay In the novel The Pigman by Paul Zindel, many themes appear throughout the book. However, the most prominent are: older people can be friends but shouldn’t be looked at as parent figures, platonic relationships should stay strictly platonic, and the last main theme is: underage drinking and smoking are very harmful. Some of these are themes one might not expect to see in a book such as The Pigman, yet are as imminent as the characters themselves. The first theme involves older people and friendships with them. Since this book was mainly about kids making friends with an older man, examples are plentiful. The following is an example of John Conlan’s poor relationship with his parents, because of the time he spent with Mr. Pignati: â€Å"My mother started her high frequency cackling, but it was Bore who got on my nerves.†(pg.136). John doesn’t even know what his parents told him, let alone care about it. However, if asked about his conversation with Mr. Pigna ti, John would tell everything with incredible accuracy. This shows that when you look up to your adult friends like a parent, your relationship with your actual parents begin to drift. The second theme from The Pigman is that platonic relationships should stay platonic and not become anything more. A good example of what happens can be found on page 108. In this segment, John and Lorraine are dressed up and they start goofing around and then they kiss. As soon as this happens, they both get really quiet and decide to go downstairs and eat dinner. Originally John and Lorraine were just friends, then as soon as it started to become something more, it became very uncomfortable and they quickly moved to something else. When two very good friends both know when something gets weird, it shows that both of them aren’t ready to become more than Friends. The third theme runs throughout most of the novel. It’s alcohol and how it effects under-age drinkers. A go... Free Essays on The Pigman Free Essays on The Pigman The Pigman by Paul Zindel is a story about two sophomore high school kids who develop a relationship with a lonely old man. John Conlan the class clown and Lorraine Jensen the shy girl have become good friends since she moved to town a year ago. One of their after school activities is prank calling people. This eventually becomes to dull, so they made up a contest to see who could keep the person who answered the phone on the longest. This afternoon it was Lorraine’s turn to cover her eyes and point to a name. She ended up picking a man who only lived a few blocks away. This is how she first met The Pigman. When Angelo Pignati answered the phone that day, Lorraine pretended that she was asking for donations for the L & J Fund, Lorraine and John Fund. Mr. Pignati finally said he would donate to their cause, and they agreed to pick up a check the next day. Eventually Lorraine and John ended up spending almost every afternoon or every evening with The Pigman. They had t his informal relationship where Mr. Pignati liked to do things for them in return for their company. Mr. Pignati’s favorite spot to visit was the city zoo where he would send time with Bobo his pet baboon. One day while they were chasing each other through The Pigman’s house on roller skates, he had a heart attack. Mr. Pignati had to stay in the hospital for a few days and asked John and Lorraine to keep an eye on his house. They agreed. This is where thing started to go wrong between them and The Pigman. John decided that they needed to throw a party before The Pigman came home from the hospital. That’s just what they did too, they threw the biggest party of the year. Then they got the surprise of their lives when The Pigman came home early. They had just destroyed his house, and most of all they had just ruined their friendship. They called to apologize to him, and they wanted to meet him at the zoo to visit Bobo. When they got to the monkey ho... Free Essays on The Pigman The Pigman Theme Essay In the novel The Pigman by Paul Zindel, many themes appear throughout the book. However, the most prominent are: older people can be friends but shouldn’t be looked at as parent figures, platonic relationships should stay strictly platonic, and the last main theme is: underage drinking and smoking are very harmful. Some of these are themes one might not expect to see in a book such as The Pigman, yet are as imminent as the characters themselves. The first theme involves older people and friendships with them. Since this book was mainly about kids making friends with an older man, examples are plentiful. The following is an example of John Conlan’s poor relationship with his parents, because of the time he spent with Mr. Pignati: â€Å"My mother started her high frequency cackling, but it was Bore who got on my nerves.†(pg.136). John doesn’t even know what his parents told him, let alone care about it. However, if asked about his conversation with Mr. Pigna ti, John would tell everything with incredible accuracy. This shows that when you look up to your adult friends like a parent, your relationship with your actual parents begin to drift. The second theme from The Pigman is that platonic relationships should stay platonic and not become anything more. A good example of what happens can be found on page 108. In this segment, John and Lorraine are dressed up and they start goofing around and then they kiss. As soon as this happens, they both get really quiet and decide to go downstairs and eat dinner. Originally John and Lorraine were just friends, then as soon as it started to become something more, it became very uncomfortable and they quickly moved to something else. When two very good friends both know when something gets weird, it shows that both of them aren’t ready to become more than Friends. The third theme runs throughout most of the novel. It’s alcohol and how it effects under-age drinkers. A go...

Where in the World Classroom Icebreaker

'Where in the World' Classroom Icebreaker Technology and transportation in the modern world have given us the opportunity to learn so much more, often first hand, about the rest of the world. If you haven’t had the privilege of global traveling, you may have experienced the thrill of conversing with foreigners online or working side-by-side with them in your industry. The world becomes a smaller place the more we get to know each other. When you have a gathering of people from various countries, this icebreaker is a breeze, but it’s also fun when participants are all from the same place and know each other well. Everyone is capable of dreams that cross borders. To make this icebreaker kinetic, require that one of the three clues be a physical motion. For example, skiing, golfing, painting, fishing, etc. Basic information about the Where in the World Icebreaker: Ideal Size: Up to 30. Divide larger groups.Use For: Introductions in the classroom or at a meeting, especially when you have an international group of participants or an international topic to discuss.Time Needed: 30 minutes, depending on the size of the group. Instructions Give people a minute or two to think of three clues that describe, but don’t give away, either the country they are from (if different from the one you’re in) or their favorite foreign place they have visited or dream of visiting. When ready, each person gives their name and their three clues, and the rest of the group guesses where in the world they are describing. Give each person a minute or two to explain what they like best about their favorite place in the world. Start with yourself so they have an example. If you want students on their feet and moving, require that one clue be a physical motion like swimming, hiking, golfing, etc. This clue may include verbal help or not. You choose. For example: Hi, my name is Deb. One of my favorite places in the world is tropical, has a beautiful body of water you can climb, and is near a popular cruise port (I am physically imitating climbing). After guessing is finished: One of my favorite places in the world is Dunn’s River Falls near Ocho Rios, Jamaica. We stopped there on a Caribbean cruise and had the marvelous opportunity of climbing the falls. You start at sea level and can climb 600 feet gradually up the river, swimming in pools, standing under small falls, sliding down smooth rocks. It’s a beautiful and fantastic experience. Debriefing Your Students Debrief by asking for reactions from the group and asking if anybody has a question for another participant. You will have listened carefully to the introductions. If somebody has chosen a place related to your topic, use that place as a transition to your first lecture or activity.

Explain a paragraph from Ciceros Invention Essay - 1

Explain a paragraph from Ciceros Invention - Essay Example In narration, the arguments to be developed in court are properly articulated through bring out the vulnerability of Sextus Roscius and how the court has the obligation to protect him from further abuse by the society. In confirming the case, Cicero indicates the importance of his arguments when he highlights the need of protecting innocent men fort the good of the society. In chapter 149 Cicero is able to use rhetorics to create relationship between emotions and justice. His rhetorics is morally grounded and incorporates the moral problems that emanate from society’s emotional manipulation (Cicero 126). As a lawyer, his choice of words is aimed at making and directing the audiences minds and emotions towards a certain conclusion. Ability to apply Sextus Roscius plight to the entire community indicates flexibility of the course of justice he wishes to pursue. The final sentiments in the chapter are emotional arouse sympathy and motivate the audience when he speaks of the harm the society would be exposed to if justice was to be taken into peoples

Organizational Change and Development in FMC Green River Essay

Organizational Change and Development in FMC Green River - Essay Example In that case, organizational change must be planned, monitored and controlled throughout its lifecycle, with completion occurring on full implementation and evaluation. Organizational change decisions are often complex, multi-faceted, and involve many different stakeholders with different priorities or objectives. Most people, when confronted with such a problem will attempt to use intuitive approaches to simplify complexity until the problem seems more manageable. In the process, important information may be lost, opposing points of view may be discarded, elements of uncertainty may be ignored -- in short, there are many reasons to expect that, on their own, individuals (either lay or expert) will often experience difficulty making informed, thoughtful choices about complex issues involving uncertainties and value tradeoffs. This fact and the tendency of change issues to involve shared resources and broad constituencies means that group decision processes are called for. These may have some advantages over individual processes: more perspectives may be put forward for consideration, the chances of having natural systematic thinkers involved are hig her, and groups may be able to rely upon the more deliberative, well-informed members. However, groups are also susceptible to the tendency to establish entrenched positions (defeating compromise initiatives) or to prematurely adopt a common perspective that excludes contrary information – a tendency termed â€Å"group think.† (McDaniel’s et al., 1999). For change management projects, decision makers may currently receive four types of technical input: modelling/monitoring, risk analysis, cost or cost-benefit analysis, and stakeholders’ preferences. However, current decision processes in Green River typically offer little guidance on how to integrate or judge the relative importance of information from each source. Also, information comes in different forms. While  modelling and monitoring results are usually presented as quantitative estimates, risk assessment and cost-benefit analyses incorporate a higher degree of qualitative judgment by the project team.